A probe system normally includes a mobile scanning head and a stationary transceiver element. The scanning head in the form of a momentary-contact switch has a deflectable stylus, which outputs a signal when deflected out of its rest position or when the stylus is contacted, and is used in particular for determining the position of workpieces which are clamped in machines, e.g., machine tools, that process material. In this context, the rest position of the stylus is understood to be a position in which the stylus has no contact with the workpiece to be probe-contacted. When the stylus is in contact with the workpiece, the stylus is deflected out of its rest position, and a suitable transducer generates an electrical sensor signal if the deflection exceeds a specified probe threshold. The electrical sensor signal then is often converted into an infrared signal, thereby achieving a contactless and wireless signal transmission to the transceiver element of the probe system.
The wirelessly transmitted signals are then reconverted into electrical signals in this transceiver element. The transceiver element of the probe system is connected to an evaluation unit, to which the electrical signals are relayed, then evaluated and ultimately made available for the control of the machine tool, for example. The position of the workpiece to be measured can then be determined there, based on the measured position of the machine tool part in question.
Using a corresponding scanning head, it is therefore possible to scan the contour of a workpiece, but also the contour of a tool. If a workpiece is scanned, the scanning head is usually situated so as to be movable relative to the transceiver element, and when a tool is scanned, the scanning head is usually immovably mounted relative to the transceiver element.
A scanning system is described, for example, in PCT International Published Patent Application No. WO 2007/028964, in which a wireless signal transmission, alternatively using infrared light or a radio transmission, is provided.